Building of the Month May 2024: Electric Palace, Broad Street, March, Cambridgeshire, PE15 8LA

The Electric Palace must have been a rather thrilling arrival in the Fenland market town of March when it opened in August 1912. There is an unmistakable air of exoticism in the semi-circular Diocletian windows and the arabesque-style cupola. According to news reports at the time, there was also a sign illuminated by electric light spelling “Palace” in letters four feet high.   Located on a prominent corner site at the northern end of Broad Street, it has been a local landmark for over 100 years.

While the Electric Palace in March has long since ceased to operate as a cinema and more recently has served as auction rooms, it is an important survivor of an increasingly limited number of other early cinemas. The Electric Palace in Harwich, built a year earlier and of a more ornate design, is Grade II* listed. March’s Electric Palace is not listed but retains a number of original features and exudes the charm and character of another age. The shops around the outside are original to the design and some still have their tiling and other decorative details.  The “tower” above the entrance houses the projection room and retains its external metal light holders.  The projection room can be accessed from one of the shops.

Clearly recognised locally as a much loved and important historic building, its lack of formal protection is a cause for concern. We understand that it has however been nominated for inclusion on the local list for which a Cambridgeshire-wide pilot scheme is on-going.

With the right owner and vision, it could make a successful comeback as a cinema and events venue to boost the evening as well as the day time economy.  Broad Street, on which it stands, is receiving a face lift thanks to help from the Government's Future High Streets Fund.  While the Electric Palace did not benefit directly from any funding, recent photos show that the work has served to highlight what an incredible additional contribution it could make to the future success of this Fenland town's main street.